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Hill Cafe gets some good words
06/17/2010 1:00 PM by John M
Richmond Presents has high praise for the Hill Cafe:
I’ve been spending Tuesday evenings in Church Hill. That’s it. I’ve confessed. The neighborhood is my favorite – I rue the day I bought a house in the West End – and in the short time I lived in Church Hill (2001-ish?) I grew to love, love, love The Hill Cafe. So, with my Tuesday night class getting relocated to Libby Terrace, I thought this would be a great opportunity for me to reconnect with the seared ahi tuna appetizer. And I was right.
Yea…if you can get the “too cool for school” bar staff to serve you. I have been living across the street for two years and everytime I go in there it is a pretenious s#$t show. I’m not a jerk (even though this post may make me look like one)and tended bar for years. I feel that I am overly nice and cordial. It is almost to the point of being obsequious just to give them my money for a drink. On a seperate note, I called for a to-go order @ 930 and the arrogant bartender proceded to give me a 5 minute lecture about not calling in an order 30 MINUTES before they close due to the fact that they may be cleaning up the kitchen. I am sorry inconvience you by trying to patronize your restaurant during business hours. Ultimately its sad though for I was very excited to have the hill cafe across the street when i moved here. I have given up on it. I am not going to pay for somebody to be an ass to me. I have been there about 10 times and its always the same. I hope you read this hill cafe. Jerkface Cafe.
I have to agree with stillwaiting. I have not had a good time in there and the bartenders dont want to be bothered. I have no problem going else where to spend my money. I spend well over 15 years in the restaurant business and I would have fired most of the staff by now. I am ever hopful that things will change but untill then I will go to Bandito’s where the bartender are kind and dont mind waiting on you. Also the specials are not bad either.
Definitely not the friendliest service I’ve ever experienced but the food is delicious and the service is efficient. One of my new favorite RVA restaurants.
I am also a big fan of the Hill Cafe. Seared Tuna sandwich is a great deal and delicious. I also love the meatloaf there. I think the only dish I don’t like there is the Shrimp n Grits, but people in VA don’t really know what the real thing is supposed to taste like. I have been converting my west end friends into Hill Cafe lovers. Now, they will drive all the way to Church Hill just to visit the Cafe.
As long as we are praising Hill restaurants, I have to say I rather enjoy most of the establishments up here. I drool over the thought of eating some muscles at the Patrick Henry. Alamo BBQ is always excellent. I even think It Must Be Heaven has some of the best ice cream in town. Yumm!
LOL, I called the mussels, muscles. Doh.
I have always had good service at the Hill Cafe. I also found the guy working the bar to be quite friendly.
I go to the Hill Cafe occasionally, the main reason being it’s 3 blocks from my house and I will always see a neighbor there. But I don’t go often and here’s why.
I do not like the bar staff either. The short one with the tattoos who shall remain nameless is foul mouthed, rude, blasts whatever metal music he’s in the mood for, and verbally abused the patrons on the night of the snowstorm by snarling that we should all leave and “why should he have to go in there for the same F*cking 10 people that are always in there”. Charming huh?
I also heard him bitching about the “F*cking martinis” Tuesday night because someone ordered more than one and he apparently thought that was a great inconvenience. DUDE- YOU’RE A BARTENDER. STFU AND MAKE THE DRINKS.
As for the food the kitchen is inconsistent, you never get the same thing twice. My guess is a revolving door behind the line.
The wine by the glass is terrible, served in dinky portions, and expensive (as is the food). I’d tell you to go for Happy Hour, but there isn’t one.
I can’t speak for the men’s room but I can tell you the women’s toilet is consistently disgusting. There’s no management on site, and that’s the problem. No management and No pride.
Poe’s has better food anyway.
I stopped going to The Hill about 3 years ago. I used to go in at least once a week. But three bad experiences in a row was enough for me. There are PLENTY of good places around the area that are welcoming, pleasant and appreciate my business. I could list 15 within a mile radius of The Hill. It’s their business, and they can run it how they see fit, but I only spend my money where I feel welcomed. BTW, Patrick Henry, Alamo and It Must Be Heaven are all proof that there is a God.
I always am reluctant to go there. I have been a restaurant server for years, and I think THC is nasty, like most of the other Richmond Restaurant Group spots.The food is gross, but more than that they have major consistency issues, both behind the line and on the floor. It comes from dealing with a captive audience–there are very few other options for people who want to stay in the neighborhood for a not-too-expensive dinner and drinks.
@Rabbit — Totally agree with you. I never really cared much for Poe’s but recently their food and service has been surprisingly good! Hill Cafe is just too damn inconsistent, and the combination of employee apathy and yuppie/meathead customers is why my wife and I always prefer Patrick Henry…
well the staff in the kitchen and thebar have been ther doing a good job for years. in fact their successful operation has beenfeeding and watering the neighborhood for a long ,long time.consistency has been this places watchword as long as i have been a frequent customer. the staff you so snidely deride has a good way with their clientele. they probably can tell who is cool and who is a crybaby douchebag which explains your woeful tales of bad service. anybody who works in the service industry knows how to recognize a shitty customer,they are just too professional to mention it to your face. try to tip decently and then run home and say shitty anonymous things about your experience cause we all know thatsaying shitty anonymous things helps make a difference in the world. by the way their is no “right tho anonymonity” on the web. ask(former) judge ralph robertson who found out the hard way that proclaiming yourself a “racialist”is a sure way to lose your sitting judgeship. dont you get it.credibility is lacking when you snipe from cover. it says more about you than the people you attack. yes i am an asshole but i know it . you cowards just havent admitted it to yourselves….yet. your amused neighborbuddycorbett
r u kidding me? the staff is consistent behind the bar and in the kitchen .its how you stay in business for a long time. as far as the meanspirited comments go. they say more about you guys than they do about the hill cafe. maybe your the kind of pogue who has never worked in a restaraunt but heres a thought. the staff probably recognized your douchiness and simply acted to assure you would never return. after reading your vituperative anonymous cowardly bullshit it looks they were prescient. by the way their is no right to anonymonity on the blog scene. ask former judge ralph robertson who styled himself a racialist and was then outed by a fellow blogger. i mean if you were important enough to out which doesnt seem likely based on your hysteria masked as criticism. rule of thumb…if you dont have the guts to say it in public dont spew it from your keyboard. otherwise people might suspect you are a creep and acowardly one at that. see you around buddycorbett
I will not go to the Hill Cafe anymore. My girlfriend and I had a nasty drunk man sit uninvited at our table and talk ugly and not only did the stubby bartender not help or care, he tried to charge me for a drink I did not have and accused me of being drunk, treated me like shit infront of the patrons seated at the bar. The food is inconsistent, over priced, and the servings are tiny. I go to the Patrick Henry Pub and Grill for family friendly service and good food at a reasonable price.
Whatever. I know very well how to recognize asshole customers, I have waited on assholes for years. Probably waited on you. That being said, many industry people think that the Hill Cafe is a huge joke. As I said, the food is gross and the service inconsistent.
Thank you to all who are not going to the Hill anymore. Makes more room for the rest of us who enjoy the servers, hostesses, bartenders, chefs, dishwashers, and food. We love the atmosphere and support the neighborhood establishment. Never had a problem with any of your issues. You think you are too good for the Hill? Go somewhere else- like the West End!
HAHAHA. I knew that was coming. “Go somewhere else like the West End” is the new Godwin’s Law.
They blast metal music in the bar area at Hill Cafe?! Tell me when this dude works and I will soooo be there! My food has been on the good to delicious side the few times I have visited.The waitstaff was efficient, but not overly friendly. I happen to prefer that kind of service…gives me more time to visit with my friends! I am surprised and saddened to see others have had bad experiences.Then again, I am probably in the minority when I say my first trip to Millie’s was my last. How cool is it, though, that we actually have choices so close to where we live?
#15: out of curiousity, what is “Godwin’s Law”?
And for those of you who think it has unfriendly staff: when Penelope (sp?) owned it (1998/1999, I think?), the staff was seriously unfriendly. Not as bad now. She had run the lunch counter at Stuart Circle Pharmacy, before it was sold and became KubaKuba. She had less than no clue as to how to run a restaurant. The current management may be a bit lax, but nowhere near as bad as then. I haven’t had a bad experience at The Hill in some years, although I do believe those who have posted specifics.
Actually, I’ve had some GOOD experiences at The Hill, with Staples as bartender. Since no one has mentioned him, I’m not sure he’s there now. I haven’t been in in months, not because I don’t like it, just haven’t for other reasons like working hours, etc.
Can we call it Murden’s Law?
I’m not really sure why people are claiming the food is lousy. Never had the pleasure of dealing with the bar staff, but aside from one dish, I’ve always been pleased. Although food isn’t always adequately hot. Service has always been fair, with no major issues.
Overall, it’s a pretty decent place with decent chow. I’d be curious to know what dishes people ordered that they found to be so terrible. I consider myself to be bit of a foody, and have no problem calling out places with lousy food.
Thank God I am a teetotaler so I don’t have to deal with the Nazi like bartenders. Ohh and by the way, Godwin’s law per Wiki: “As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1.”
I’ve lived in Church Hill for 4 or 5 years now, and since day one have frequented the Hill Café; I still do. Some of the staff did take a little bit of time to warm up to, but frankly I don’t think they’re in a position to be your best friend off the bat. The charm of having a neighborhood watering hole is derived wholly from two things 1) it’s in your neighborhood, close to your house (this is probably the most important). 2) You can expect to run into a neighbor, and be treated by the staff as a neighbor and a friend. That’s it. If you’re not a neighbor, or they don’t see you often you’re probably just another customer. Much they way you would be at any chain or franchise in the (gasp) West End.
If a patron is unhappy with the service, he should complain or refuse payment until he is satisfied. If a customer feels insulted, he should also seek resolution to the perceived insult. To #12, I’m not saying the “nasty drunk man” who sat “uninvited” at your table was or was not me… It could have been though. If you were, however so egregiously offended by the conduct of your tablemate, why did you not protest? To #’s 1, 2, 3 and 6, stop being such victims. Or rather I should say, these so called slights you mention are victimless crimes; unless that is you insist upon martyring yourselves which I’m not sure really works. I think technically you something a little more substantial – like actual persecution for your belief that the Hill Café has somehow knowingly and willfully wronged you or impugned your integrity.
With that said, Bobby, the short metal head with tattoos and a foul mouth, who possesses a rude demeanor, usually works evenings on Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday. He also often plays Patsy Cline, some Motown oldies, and some grunge – which I don’t particularly like, but it does have a nice beat. Staples, the onsite manager for the Richmond Restaurant Group usually works evenings on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Staples really enjoys Dave Matthews and Tracy Chapman – they also are not amongst my favorites, but both Bobby and Staples are usually very obliging when I ask them to turn the music down a touch.
Thank you for allowing me to clarify a few things for you. If you wish to discuss this in further detail you can usually find me at the Hill Café between 5 and 7 PM Monday through Friday, for a friendly chat with my neighbors.
Cheers!
#22, I did protest and nothing was done and we were verbally abused by the bartender to boot. #18, Staples is a good bartender.
everytime i read a comment on one of these news stories, someone says something along the lines of “if you’re so high and mighty blah blah blah go to the west end!” yea!… c’mon…people live where they live for a reason and it is not because they like going to chain restaurants
I think the food is great, but I have to agree with the other posters about the bartenders, especially the short one. He always cuts down all of the other neighborhood establishments and has something nasty to say about all other bartenders in the Richmmond area.
And as for Poes, the food there is really good and they have great dinner and drink specials for happy hour. Most of the bartenders are really friendly, too. Most.
I love the Hill Cafe; I always have found them courteous. I hope we always have them because frankly they are one of the vital commercial cornerstones of the Hill.
It is entertaining to see so many people get rattled over negative comments regarding a restaurant. It definately radiates that they cultivate such a sense of idenity from the restaurant they patronize. In that aspect, the hill cafe is a success. As I have made a decision to not give my money to a place that is consistently inconsistent and hasn’t made me feel welcome doesn’t mean that it doesn’t appeal to a select clique in the Hill. And, like most cliques, they do their best to centralize their clique and keep outsiders that aren’t “cool” enough out to perpetuate their feelings of superiority which are usally a mask for their own insecurity and feelings of ineptness. In that regard, all of you valiant and omnipotent defenders of the hill cafe should thank me for my “douchiness!” I say jump up on the bar in your skinny jeans and your older brothers Vans from 1993 and say on this day, on this day we shall exclude the outside world from this place and exclaim our coolness to the world. We shall eat a soggy oyster po boy, wait 15 mins for a drink, and curse the every soul who dare speak against us. For together we toast our PBR and listen to Slayer and pretend that we like it. We shall not live in the tyranny of the general populations opions. Give us our BS elitist attitudes or give us death…
Buzzy’s is baller!!
Hey Stillwaiting, if you don’t like soggy po boys, move to the West End! J/K. 🙂
You write:
>>The waitstaff was efficient, but not overly friendly. I happen to prefer that kind of service>>
Absolutely! I agree 100%
The girls (and they’ve always been females for as long as I can remember) do their jobs efficiently and are as UN-intrusive as any servers I’ve encountered. They’re sort of like the ANTI-Applebees types. No flair, so cute-sy sitting down and selling the corporate bullshit. They simply serve your food and are attentive to your needs. No more, no less. No complaints here.
As for Bobby, he’s always been good to me, although the music is almost always too loud when he works. I actually prefer Bobby’s frank and candid demeanor to Staples aloof and detached personality but even he too, is nice enough….
“Pretend” to like Slayer?! Ok, now you’re getting personal…lol…\m/
I actually like Staples a lot, I think he is a nice guy but indeed he was rude to me the first few times I went in there. I really don’t know why. All I did was sit down and he stood not 3 feet away from me for 5 or 10 minutes without even acknowledging my presence and continued talking or washing glasses, etc. Rude Rude Rude! I don’t know why he does that, but he does. I guess it amuses him. Whatever.
As for Bobby, fuggedaboudit. He is indeed foul mouthed and I was there the night of the snowstorm to catch his act in person (I already complained, no response from “management”).
I don’t want or need him to be my friend but I’ve heard the comments he makes, and I’m sure he has one about me too. I don’t appreciate that! I also believe he has overcharged me twice. Seems other people have noticed this too.
As for the food? Eh/ Not great. Is it a $26 entree joint? Absolutely not, but the hummus is good and I like the tuna too.
Overall though, the place is just dirty. They need to shut it down for three days and clean it. It stinks like a sewer line when you walk in the door….can’t you smell that??
It is amazing how much people suck. You little cowards will try to get people fired by complaining via Internet and say things that you would never say to anyone’s face. I love the hill cafe. Most of the time I get good service, sometimes I don’t. When I don’t get great service I don’t try to get someone fired. I just don’t tip them well. Get it idiots?! Instead of trying to take a server or bartender’s livelyhood by getting them fired, just don’t tip. Idiots
Guys, this is a small neighborhood, so of course, this thread and these comments were brought to my attention. I want you all to know who I am and that what I’m posting in no way represents the Hill Cafe or the RRG. That being said, I have read all the comments to this point and have given them all, both for and against, much thought and deliberation. I had crafted serious, detail and situation specific rebuttals for each post that was made about me, personally, but ultimately decided that that was simply a waste of time. Most of the negative posts about myself, and some about the place as a whole, I can recall the specific situation, what was said, etc., very well and obviously have a different take. Some of the posts are accurate, and I know myself and others on the staff need to work on some things. I have no problem admitting that I’m a work in progress and I’ve never worked in a place quite like the HIll before. After all, we are all only human and I’ve yet to observe any of you in your work place, just to be fair. I just want to say that I appreciate all of your comments, whether I agree with them or not, and that I appreciate your criticism. I feel that if we actually knew each other, were actually introduced, many of these things would perhaps be clarified. I would like to invite any and all of you to come up to the Hill and please give myself and the rest of the staff the opportunity to provide you with a good experience(if any of us have jobs left after this, that is). Feel free to openly discuss your issues and points. If you choose not to do this, I can only say that you may have missed an opportunity to have a few more friends in the neighborhood(I live here, too!) and I hope that your experience elsewhere is more to your liking. I will not return to this site to defend or condemn anything said after my post. I simply wanted you all to know that it bums me out to be perceived so, or to have represented myself or the establishment so poorly.
There is one thing I MUST address, however: I DON’T LIKE METAL. Anybody who knows or frequents the Hill knows my musical scope, and it almost never includes metal. If you can name two times in the last year that you heard metal at the Hill, I’ll buy you a beer. I’ll buy ya two! Plus, if someone requests music, even if I dislike it or grumble about it, I still will generally meet their request. Even if it’s METAL. The term “always” doesn’t apply if something only happened to you once. Just for the record! I know I promised NO rebuttals, but man, I couldn’t live with that one! Thanks to all, and I look forward to all the lovely(and not so lovely) conversations this thread will provide.
Thank you!
Bobby “the stubby, tatooed,foul mouthed metal dude” Covert
I’ve been there many times and friends insist that we go there when they come to visit from out of town. Martini’s are killer chilled when I feel like one, Legends flows, the food good. We’ve all left happy.
I’ve got pretty severe asthma and busy nights left me grabbing my inhaler all night. Now that it’s non-smoking it’s a perfect place for me to enjoy with friends a little bit longer.
I’ll give the Hill another shot. Good comment Bobby.
Always had a good time at the Hill. That Ahi Tuna sandwich is my staple!
Bobby, nice response. Good to see someone that can take criticism maturely and politely extend a gesture of good will.
I for one enjoy the Hill Cafe and have rarely had anything bad to say. When I go out, (not often lately), I am likely to go there.
I think Bobby’s response is probably one of the most mature, honest and just downright decent responses I’ve seen here in quite awhile. I’m in agreement with s. kelly #38, and then some. This thread had really gotten down and dirty at some point, and I think that at least the next four posts after Bobby’s post are a little more decent in tone – and in remembering that this is, as he says, a small neighborhood.
Well stated Bobby, and thanks.
I have never heard metal in the Hill Cafe. However, older people tend to consider anything with a distorted guitar to be metal. I plan on hitting the Hill Cafe for lunch a couple days this week. I can almost taste the seared tuna sammich right now.
bobby dont take seriously any cyberbully to gutless to sign their own name to a childish screed. when you type with one hand and jerkoff with the other objective writing suffers. i think the real problem is the lack of accountability involved with folks who somehow confuse freedom of speech issues with the right to act like an anonymous asshole. freedom of speech pertains to your RIGHT to speak against thegovt. in other words you can vent on the govt without fear of reprisal from “the man” unfortunately the web is more like a high school clique than the continental congress(read a book).nastiness flourishes in the dank,dark recesses of the avg. blogger and he gets to exercise that illhumor coz he he gets to hide in plain sight. this jekyll/hyde combo is intoxicating especially if you are shy or naturally inhibited. thus the whiney,vicious tone from people who would never act like this in public,unless they could blame it on that ever available excuse ….alcohol. dont sweat it bobby. people to cowardly(and yes thats what mystery criticism is)to talk shit to your face are badly in need of mental viagra…..to stiffen up their limp moral fiber……”full of sound and fury,signifying nothing. sign your name pogues. its easy to get in touch with your inner asshole without blaming it on “your rights”hell ,i do it everyday and my wife at least is still talking to me!”honey. honey. where u going?im sorry im sorry. see,everybody has to answer to their karma at some point. your neighbor buddycorbett
Bobby,
For the record, the one time I came into the cafe and you were working was the only time I got a greeting, served quickly, and said thank you. I would gladly give the Cafe another chance if I look in and see you behind the bar. Your post was very poignant. I apologize if any of my specific comments caused you any grief for that was not my intention.
Bobby,
I would specifically come in to The Hill on a night you are working strictly based on your retort which was intelligent and fair. Establishments in this day and age rarely if ever have such a decent person representing them, KUDOS!
What a great marketing ploy for the Hill!
Drinks on Bobby this week!! Yay!!
Quite the opposite, I say someone should buy the short guy a drink. I don’t frequent The Hill Cafe but I think I should.
I actually know Bobby from high school so I was ready to fire off and extremely ignorant response in his defense. But Bobby’s response just reminded me of why I loved him then and why I truly adore him now.
Bobby,
You are AWESOME and I LOVE your choice in music.
Bobby, Staples and the rest of the staff fit well with my many personalities. CHEERS TO ALL!!
Love the Hill. The establishment is good for the neighborhood. Everyone who works there has treated us with respect and kindness. During my knee fiasco I had employees offer rides just so we could be there. Love all of you guys. Don’t take all this crap seriously.
Fair-weather friends? The comments on this blog post and really turned around.
For 12 years the Hill has been there for me from the time I was a crying mess over a break-up drinking w/friends now long gone from CH; To many years later, the time my (now) husband and I weren’t done partying after Halloween parties and headed there for more drinks in our gruesome make-up and contact lenses.
While the food may sometimes be inconsistent, the restaurant biz is very transient. But the service and the staff that I’ve encountered over the last 12 years has ALWAYS been courteous. Even though we don’t go out to eat as much as we would like to, we know when we walk up to the Hill we’ll be treated well. And I always hope to see Staples b/c he rocks, but now I’ll look for Bobby as well and say hello since I should be able to recognize from the great ‘descriptions’ stated here.
We’ll be up for dinner &/or drinks very soon!!
Wow. I’m surprised by a lot of these comments. We moved up to the Hill about a year ago and have been frequenting Hill Cafe ever since day one. We’ve never had a bad meal there and the waitstaff is super friendly. We’ve only had 1 encounter with a bartender there and while it wasn’t the most friendly encounter, it wasn’t the most awful either. We both usually order the same few dishes and they always taste as they did the time before.
As for #27- We never know anyone in there when we go and are most definitely not part of any “clique”. Sorry to blow your theory.
I just wanted to add my two cents. I lived on the Hill for 5 years before having to move to the mid-west for my job. I can honestly say I miss the Hill Cafe and all the neighborhood friends I met there. It is nice when I can make it back to RVA and walk into THC and receive a warm welcome.
The food is great with a vast selection, the drinks flow, and the atmosphere is second to none. I only wish I could find a similar spot out here in St. Louis and this town isn’t short on bars. I may just have to open my own Hill Cafe and would gladly have Staples, Bobby, and any of the lovely wait staff work for me.